“Who is Kenny Kraft?”

Many students asked this question on Election Day as word spread that SGA president Jay Perry would face some last-minute competition. After Sunday evening, the name became more visible and familiar to Saint Louis University.

Kenny Kraft is secretary of Oriflamme, and he worked alongside SLU student Jen Jaspers and Michael Doody, S.J., in the campus food drive.

Despite critics’ claims that he did it as a joke, Kraft did not enter the race on a whim.

“We thought about it for a while, but I didn’t think I was eligible to run because I wasn’t a senator, and I thought you had to be a senator if you wanted to run for president, Kraft said.

“I called Emily Ebsworth on Saturday, and she said that was true, but she looked into it more and told me on Sunday that if you were a member of an executive board of a chartered student organization then you are eligible to run for president,” Kraft said. “I’m the secretary of Oriflamme, so that night I decided to run.”

From the beginning of his campaign Kraft felt like he didn’t have a chance; however he did find some hope.

“There were some spots in the day where people told me that they had voted for me,” he said. Although Kraft received this positive reinforcement he still knew that he would lose.

When the numbers were finally released at 2:30 am on Tuesday morning, Kraft had lost, but managed to swing 20 percent of the vote.

“I was disappointed, but I am pretty proud of the fact that 200 people voted for a write-in candidate,” Kraft said. “I don’t feel like I lost. I feel like I won 200 votes.”

“I took the election very seriously,” Kraft added, “but again . I was working with a couple of days. I just have to keep a sense of humor I guess.”

Kraft and other students believe that his late entrance into the race brought more excitement to the polls. “I think it was the day that the apathy went away,” Kraft said. “I hope that this gets more people involved.”

Members of the “Focus on the Future” ticket gave Kraft high marks as well.

“He did his job, and he got the voters out there,” said administrative vice president-elect Chad Kreikemeier, “He’s a great guy who got involved, but [Perry’s] obviously more qualified, and they were lacking in the issues.”

Perry was impressed with the showing that Kenny made.

“I’m very impressed. I congratulate him, especially with the last-minute effort that he made. It just shows how democracy still works here.”

Prior to the results Kraft had asked some people to help him with his campaign.

“Kenny called me on Sunday and he asked if I would help,” said Anne Marie Deye, who had worked with Kraft in the food drive. “I think competition is good, and that it takes guts to do what he did in a few days.”